130 THE DEER FORESTS OF SCOTLAND. 



no excuse need be made for relating it here. In 

 the middle of the 16th century Cameron of Lochiel 

 then owned Benevrich with Corrour, with most of the 

 adjacent lands ; a long-standing dispute existed, how- 

 ever, with the Earl of Athol as to their marches and 

 the grazing rights of certain of the eastern slopes of 

 Benevrich, which were then, even as they are now, 

 famed for their rich pasturage ; therefore many, but 

 sanguinary, were the petty fights over this disputed 

 point which were continually taking place between 

 the followers of the two lairds. It happened that 

 Lochiel and the Earl of Athol met by chance in 

 Perth, when the Earl expressing his regret at the 

 constant loss of life entailed by the dispute, 

 proposed they should both meet on the property 

 in question, each bringing but two retainers, to 

 endeavour, on the spot and in a friendly manner, 

 to settle the boundaries. Lochiel at once consented 

 to such a reasonable offer ; a date was fixed, and 

 the day before the meeting was arranged to take 

 place he started with his two followers in order to 



